New and improved: The DSLR Cinematography Guide

Once again, I've updated and expanded The DSLR Cinematography Guide to the tune of 5,000 words -- it's gone from 10k to 15k. While I'm tossing out numbers: according to Google Analytics, the guide has had 70,000 page views, with an average time spent on the guide of 11 minutes. That's 770,000 total minutes, or 12,800 hours collectively spent reading the guide! I will take this as a confirmation (in addition to all the comments!) that the guide is helpful to a lot of people. Onto what's new in this version:

The first change is formatting-related; the guide is now paginated. Previously it was one ridiculously long page, so I've broken it down into sections. It's much easier to edit individual pages instead of one huge doc, and each section has its own link now -- these permalinks shouldn't change, so if you send someone http://nofilmschool.com/dslr/support-system/ it will always be good. This also allows people to make comments on each individual section -- right now there are over 100 comments on the guide as a whole, so going forward you'll be able to say "hey Ryan, your advice about memory cards is as useful as a fishing net in a blizzard" and post it to the memory card section, instead of at the end of the whole shebang (does anyone ever say "half shebang?").

The second change is I've updated it for the recent advances Canon has brought to 5D users -- 24p, the E1 log and transfer program, etc. Even though the 5D was released in November 2008, it's still (in my opinion) king of the DSLR hill (unless you need slow-motion, in which case it'd be the 1D Mark IV, although the best solution is to have more than one DSLR in the stable if you've got the loot).

The third change is there is now a DONATE button at the end of the guide -- it's a way for those who have found the guide helpful to say "thanks." You can donate any amount; the guide is still entirely free. Considering how much time it took me to write the thing -- not to mention the additional time spent updating it -- please consider donating if you've found the guide useful! As a "thanks" for donating, you'll get a nice printable PDF instantly emailed to you. Because it's paginated now, you'd have to hit print 28 times -- which will messily include comments -- so here's an easy way to get a clean PDF and help out an independent filmmaker at the same time:

Many thanks! One thing that could be helpful is to design a separate "Updates" page, where one can go for a quick glance. For example, firmware update announcements can be placed there instead of having to read through the entire document again. BTW - any word on new firmware for the 7D that would correct the automatic volume issue?

Mario, not sure about the 7D although there is a new firmware out there. As for the updates page, that's a good idea -- I haven't figured out the best way to implement such a page, but will definitely come up with a system!

Great resource here...thanks for tutorials. I'd like to see some details on "how you shoot" just give and example of a setting and then explain what you use and how you use it with details (lens, camera settings, focus methods, moving, tracking, etc.).

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